…or the Non-Starbux Quest.

First order of business: Je me suis coupees les cheveux hier soir. I sure did cut my hair last night.

Before:

How my hair has looked in the past few months:

Click here to see what it looked like from the back.

Click here and here to see the longest my hair has been in recent years.

After:

Click here for the black & white version.

Click here for another view.

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Second order:

About five years ago, I bought a pair of Nine West boots that I’ve worn many times and that will probably expire in a year or two (click here for another view). For the past year, I’ve been on the lookout for suitable replacements. Whenever I pass by shoes, I watch closely. Yes, I could always get black Doc Martens, couldn’t I? Unfortunately, they don’t quite possess the same versatility with respect to wardrobe (from casual to not-so-casual).

After I left work today, I went to Phipps Plaza mainly to take a walk, to do my usual stroll through Niketown (which I always do when I’m at Phipps) and just to gawk at the way-cooler men’s sneakers. Detour: It’s not fair. Men have much prettier sneakers. Even when they’re ugly, they’re still much better looking than women’s sneakers.

Retour: I had looked at about half of the men’s side–and I always start with the men’s side–when an employee asked me if I needed help. I don’t remember how I immediately answered him but by the end of the next five minutes, he had led me to the kids section where he pointed out a pair of boys sneakers that I had to try on just to see what they’d look like on my feet.

A triumph if there ever was one–I’m usually quite good at talking myself out of trying on clothing or shoes because “it’s not worth the bother.”

The sneakers in question:

Nope, you’re not mistaken–they do look like composition notebooks. They may not have been the boot replacements I had my mind on, but their aesthetics and the sound they make when in contact with a non-carpeted surface sold me. Before I could complete the business transaction, though, I had to balance some numbers. I would have to balance the numbers by going Starbux (and Caribou)-free for a week. Not just the rest of the week, but an entire seven days.

But can I do it? Can I go an entire week without any caffeinated beverages (that aren’t free or aren’t fewer than three dollars)? Have I enough will power to watch the pre-season games between the Panthers and the Eagles on Thursday, the Raiders and the Titans on Friday, and the Falcons and the Colts on Saturday without any espresso products?

Hopefully, with some help from H.G. Bissinger’s writing, I’ll be able to do it. I only read a small bit of Friday Night Lights when I was doing thesis research. I decided yesterday to read the whole book…and after I’m done, I should like to watch the movie again and plant down some thoughts.

Je sais, je sais.